An attempt to document my explorations of the Bannister family history. I have traced the family line back to Amos Bannister from Adlington in the early 1700s - how much further can I go? This blog is also a place for me to document my genealogical self-education and occasional genealogy-related development projects.

Tuesday, 30 June 2015

Old Stretford - Chapter III - Places of Public Worship.

CHAPTER III.

Places of Public Worship.

My recollections of the Established Churchin Stretford extend over sixty-five years. Asa child I was taken to the Old Church (orchapel, as it was then called) before it waspulled down. It was built in 1718, at a costof £470. This chapel replaced a still older one built about 1538. Originally in thediocese of Lichfield, it was afterwards trans-ferred to the See of Chester. In 1821 andagain in 1824 the chapel was enlarged;strange to say the cost was chiefly defrayedout of the Poor Rate, levied by the overseers.In return a large number of free seats wereallotted to the use of the poor. In all therewere 450 sittings. A sun-dial stood in theold chapel yard, and here in olden times theparish clerk used to give out notices of salesby auction and announce parish meetings. I remember sitting near the old CommunionTable and spelling out the Lord's Prayer andthe Ten Commandments, which were onboards close to it; also seeing the Hindescholars come into church in their quaintcostumes--the boys in green-tailed coats andknee breeches, the girls in green hats anddresses, with white linen capes. This charitywas founded by Mrs. Hinde prior to her deathin 1724. She was the widow of the Rev. JohnHinde, Fellow of the Collegiate Church, whoofficiated at Stretford, and subscribed £100towards building the chapel. The income of thecharity was derived from land in Salford andManchester, and it was to be devoted to theeducation of twenty poor children, ten fromStretford and ten from Manchester. In 1788the number of the charity was increased tofifty. A tablet to the memory of Mrs. Hindemay be seen in the Manchester Cathedral. Lady de Trafford, wife of Sit Thomas deTrafford, was a Protestant, and used to sitat the Old Chapel in a pew near ours, whilst her husband went to the Roman CatholicChurch at Barton or Manchester. In caseof mixed marriages it was often the customto bring up the girls in the faith of themother and the boys in that of the father.One of Lady de Trafford's daughters marriedthe Rev. Mr. Sparling, a Protestant clergy-man. Connected with Stretford Old Chapel it isrecorded that the noted Henry Newcomepreached there in 1679, and that John Collier,father of Tim Bobbin, was minister in 1708-9.

TWO CLERGYMEN.

Stretford Church was originally a chapelof ease, under the parish of Manchester, andin the early days Dr. Elsdale, Master of the Man-chester Grammar School, held the living forthirty-one years, residing in Manchester, andcoming down once or twice a week to visitthe sick. When he came down to take theservices on Sundays he had either to walkfrom Manchester or to come by the "swiftpacket," for which the Bridgewater trusteesgave him a free pass. He sometimes had topreach, watch in hand, and to cut short hissermon in order to catch the boat. Inthe interval between the services hedined at the Angel, in a room known as the"Parson's Parlour." After doing this fornineteen years he secured in 1839 the servicesof the Rev. Joseph Clarke, M.A., as a locumtenens, and that gentleman afterwards suc-ceeded him as perpetual curate. Subse-quently Stretford was separated from Man- chester and became a rectory. Mr. Clarkeofficiated at Stretford for twenty-three years.He was a tall, gaunt, earnest man, of theevangelical school, always wore bands, andpreached in a black gown. When Mr. Clarkefirst came to Stretford, he had by no meansa "bed of roses." The congregation and Dr.Elsdale had got to cross purposes, and on thefirst Sunday he preached no one offered anywelcome or hospitality to the new curate orhis wife, and they had to follow Dr. Elsdale'sexample, and dine alone in the "Parson'sParlour" at the Angel. At that time therewas a great dispute about the right of theOverseers to lay a church rate. The offi-cials had been very peremptory in demandingpayment, and had injudiciously servedsummonses on Mr. Braybrooke and other in-fluential inhabitants at Old Trafford, whojoined together and sought the advice of Mr.John Owen, a well-known Manchestersolicitor. The case came before two magi-strates, who decided that the rate was illegalbecause Stretford was not a "parochialchapelry." Eventually the opinion of Dr.Phillimore was taken, and the Overseersappealed against the previous decision.Before taking further action, however, theyinterviewed Mr. Owen and his clients, andallowed them to see Dr. Phillimore's opinionas to the legality of the rate, and this was soclear and decided that the objecting rate-payers gave way and decided to pay theamount.

SOME PARISHIONERS.

In 1841 the parishioners proceeded to builda new church at a cost of £3,200. SirThomas de Trafford gave the land and £100.The site was a field called "The Wagstaff,"once used for bull-baiting when that practicewas in vogue. Lady de Trafford laid thefoundation stone of the new Parochial Church,to be dedicated to St. Matthew on September30, 1841, and it was consecrated by the Bishopof Chester on October 10, 1842. All the sub-scribers to the building fund had pews allottedto them, but as my father, though a con-tributor, did not look after his interests,our family got an indifferent one inthe extreme front, and under the pul-pit. It was a seat of peril, for abook and afterwards a candlestick, fellinto our pew, fortunately without hurtinganyone. The rector's family occupied theadjoining square pew. Behind them sat Mr.James Crossley, of Ashton-on-Mersey, andwhen he left, Mr., afterwards Sir, ThomasBazley, of Hayesleigh. Not far away Mr.John Frederick Foster, the well-known chair-man of Quarter Sessions, had a pew. Hisstatue is to be seen in the Assize Courts. Justbehind him sat Mr.William Joynson, of Sale,a very kind benevolent old gentleman, whosesons, Richard and Walter, followed in hissteps, and are recently deceased.

A FAMOUS CLERK.

In front of the Communion Table were twogaunt double deckers, one used as a readingdesk, and the other as a pulpit. In a box atthe front of the former sat Joseph Hampson,the parish clerk, commonly called "Joe," and,perhaps, the best-known man in the village.On weekdays he was boss of a gang of menemployed by the Bridgewater Trustees tokeep the canal and its banks in order. Abroad, stout man, he was just in his elementin an iceboat swaying about with the view ofkeeping a passage open for canal boats infrosty weather. At church on Sundays hewas fully impressed with his own dignity.He had a stentorian voice which sometimesdrowned that of the minister, and as thePsalms were said, and not sung, he had fullplay. His eyes were all over the church, andif the stove was running low, or a Sundayscholar was misbehaving himself, "Joe"marched from his box and poked the fire, orcuffed the lad, regardless of all proprieties.In later years when Mr. Hart, rector,was about to officiate, and the wasno water in the font, "Joe" wassent for some. On his way back thechoir lads laughed at him, when heat once put down the jug, and without think-ing of the sanctity of the place, boxed theirears. Joseph Hampson held his position forfifty-four years under five different ministers,and it was said "rectors might come andrectors might go, but Joe went on for ever."But this was scarcely so, for he died in 1881.The first of his family became clerk in 1750,and the office had been, with one shortexception, in the hands of the family for 130years. Joseph Hampson was succeeded byhis brother William, and afterwards his niecefilled the office. I have in my possession a book entitled"The Wreck of the Orion," written by Mr.Clarke, wherein he describes his marvellousescape in June, 1850, when the steamer,which plied between Liverpool and Glasgow,was wrecked off Portpatrick on the Scotchcoast. Mr. Clarke had to swim for his life,and was most fortunate in being picked upby a boat when he was at the last gasp. Hewas one of the few saved. Among the drownedwas Mr. Roby, author of the "Traditions ofLancashire." As a testimony of thankful-ness and respect Mr. Clarke's congregationpresented hum with an address, accompaniedby a purse, and tea service, of the value of£200. This mark of esteem he valued mosthighly. The living of Stretford is in the gift ofthe Warden and Fellows of the CathedralChurch; the endowment consists of land atFlixton and Culcheth, and Mr. Clarke in 1840estimated the net annual income averaged£190 per annum. During his tenure of officea church and schools were erected at a cost of £4,500, and a parsonage, costing £1,200.When he died a chancel was erected to hismemory at a cost of £1,170. At Stretford Church when I attended, apractice prevailed which has since beenabandoned. About mid-service there was arustling of feet caused by the churchwardensand sidesmen leaving their pews and assem-bling at the church door, each with his church-warden's silver-tipped staff in hand. Thusequipped they sallied forth, and called at allthe public-houses in the village, to see if theungodly were indulging in beer, instead ofcoming to church. Then after looking afterloiterers in the churchyard they returned totheir pews just in time for the sermon.Rumour says that sometimes the church-wardens themselves thought they needed re-freshment, but into this we need not inquiretoo closely. A curiosity of the church was old TommyMellor, the apparitor, who never seemed athome after he adopted his uniform. Attached to, and between the Blind Asylumand Deaf and Dumb Institute, was a chapel,opened in 1837, and intended mainly for theinhabitants of the Institutions, but whichalso served the churchgoers of Old Trafford.The Rev. Thomas Buckley was chaplain tothe Institutions, and also to the ChorltonUnion Workhouse. The chapel when openeddid not receive the Episcopal blessing, but intime some of the congregation wished tohave it consecrated, and that Mr. Buckleyshould become the incumbent. The gentle-men who were desirous of making the changeinduced Dr. Prince Lee, the then Bishop ofManchester, in 1857, to consecrate the church.This caused much unpleasantness, and Dr.Samuel Crompton, in 1862, discovered thatthe consecration had taken place contrary tothe terms of the trust deed. After a longand angry controversy the church was re-conveyed, and new trustees were appointed.